After a six-month pilot period that ended in July, the state is restarting a shortened amnesty program for Ohioans who’ve lost their drivers’ licenses. Over 340,000 people could get back on the roads legally – sometimes after many years of not being able to pay reinstatement fees.
Chris Damron of Columbus lost his license for failing to pay child support when he was 19. Almost two decades later, he’s in recovery and owns a painting business and is a licensed driver again, after having $1,500 in reinstatement fees waived earlier this year.
“Getting my license back was the last part of my puzzle of putting my life back together. That 20 years of driving without my license was terrible, always looking over my shoulder.”
In the first round of amnesty, 7,000 drivers who’d completed court actions got their licenses back and $60 million in reinstatement fees were waived. The program now closes on December 31, but lawmakers are looking at a bill to make it permanent.
